1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to computer hardware and more particularly to a system for cooling a processor while reducing vibration.
2. Description of the Background Art
FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a prior art system 100 used to cool a processor 112. As shown, system 100 typically includes a heat sink assembly 104, which further includes a fan 106, walls 109 (illustrated in FIG. 2), fins 115 (illustrated in FIG. 2), bottom surface 111 and a thermal adhesive 110, which is configured to thermally couple heat sink assembly 104 to processor 112. Thermal adhesive 110 has thermal properties that facilitate transferring heat generated by processor 112 to the bottom surface 111 of heat sink assembly 104. As also shown in FIG. 1, system 100 may include a heat sink lid 102, which, among other things, prevents particles and other contaminants from entering fan 106 and air blown from fan 106 from escaping the system 100, as described herein. The heat sink lid 102, together with the walls 109, fins 115, and bottom surface 111 of the heat sink assembly 104, define a plurality of air channels 108.
Fan 106 is configured to force air through air channels 108 such that the heat generated by processor 112 transfers to the air as the air passes over bottom surface 111. The heated air then exits heat sink assembly 104, as depicted by flow lines 114, thereby dissipating the heat generated by processor 112 into the external environment. The heat sink lid 102 prevents air from escaping air channels 108 in a direction normal to flow depicted by flow lines 114. This process cools processor 112 and, among other things, prevents processor 112 from burning up during operation.
As shown, heat sink lid 102 is configured with a fan hole 101 and air holes 103 that enable air from the external environment to enter heat sink assembly 104 to cool processor 112 as previously described. In other configurations, heat sink lid 102 may include air slots (not shown) that may trace the shapes of air channels 108. These air slots may be in addition to or in lieu of air holes 103. In prior art systems 100, heat sink lid 102 oftentimes comprises a solid metal piece, made from a metal such as aluminum
FIG. 2 is an isometric view illustrating heat sink assembly 104 of FIG. 1. This view provides a better perspective of fan 106, fins 115, walls 109 and air channels 108. Persons skilled in the art will understand that air channels 108 typically are configured to direct air blown from fan 106, over bottom surface 111, to the external environment in a manner that most efficiently removes heat from processor 112 (not shown).
FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a standing wave pattern 300 forming in a portion of one of air channels 108 of FIG. 1. One drawback of using system 100, including heat sink lid 102 comprised of a solid metal, to cool processor 112 is that the sound wave produced when fan 106 forces air through air channel 108 oftentimes establishes a standing wave, similar to standing wave pattern 300, within air channel 108. As persons skilled in the art will understand, this phenomenon substantially increases the noise level of the air flow through air channel 108 because the resulting standing wave produced by the interference between incident sound wave 301a and reflected sound wave 301b has an amplitude at the antinodes that is substantially greater than the amplitude of incident sound wave 301a. The increased noise is particularly annoying to persons who use computers and other electronic devices that include a system similar to system 100.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a system for cooling a processor while reducing air flow noise.